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<h2 id="how-to-restrict-employee-internet-use">How to restrict employee internet use</h2>
<p>If you plan to create restrictions, here are a few tips to follow:</p>
<h3>1. Be transparent with employees.</h3>
<p>If you decide to restrict websites, make sure you tell your staff. You should explain what websites and categories you’re restricting and why. Your employees will appreciate the transparency and won’t waste time contacting IT if they have problems accessing a blocked website.</p>
<p>Ralph Labarta, chief technology officer at Engage PEO, recommended including the information in an internet use policy. “The policy should include a protocol for accessing sites that are blocked but may need legitimate access, a warning that attempting to thwart site restrictions is a violation of the policy and a warning that all site activities are monitored.”</p>
<p>If you’re considering blocking social media websites, create a social media policy first and step in only if a problem arises, suggested Jonathan Prichard, founder and CEO of MattressInsider.</p>
<p>“Instead of restricting access, create a companywide social media policy,” he said. “This document should include guidelines for what you expect in terms of time spent on social media sites during office hours. Give them the structure, [and] allow them to make decisions for themselves.”</p>
<h3>2. Use a browser extension.</h3>
<p>The easiest way to block a website or category of websites on Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox is with BlockSite. With this browser add-on, you can block specific websites, such as Facebook, adult websites or URLs that contain specific words.</p>
<p>BlockSite also works on Chrome’s incognito mode. If you’re worried that your employees will access BlockSite to manage blocked websites, you can set up a password to limit access.</p>
<h3>3. Use employee monitoring software.</h3>
<p>For a more extreme solution, consider purchasing employee monitoring software, which can track almost every move your employees take, such as how many minutes they are inactive and even their keystrokes. If you are concerned about data breaches and network security consider reading our <a href="https://www.business.com/reviews/teramind/">Teramind review</a>, our best pick for protecting your business and employees against security threats.</p>
<p>Some of <a href="https://www.business.com/categories/employee-monitoring-software/">the best employee monitoring software</a> also offers content-filtering features that allow you to regulate websites and certain topics, such as weapons, drugs and nudity. You can also block individual websites by manually adding them to the list of prohibited websites. In addition, you can create notifications and alerts that are triggered when an employee browses restricted content.</p>
<h3>4. Block websites from the Wi-Fi network.</h3>
<p>If you have many employees or your employees regularly use multiple devices, it may be best to block websites from being accessed via your company’s Wi-Fi network. This way, these settings apply to all people on the network, and you don’t have to keep updating individual devices.</p>
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<h2 id="how-to-block-a-website-in-google-chrome">How to block a website in Google Chrome</h2>
<p>Blocking websites in Chrome is not part of the regular installation process, but it is possible. Computer Hope gives these step-by-step instructions on how to block a website in Chrome:</p>
<ol>
<li>Go to the Chrome website, and visit the Block Site Extensions.</li>
<li>On the top right of the page, click Add to Chrome.</li>
<li>Click Add Extension to confirm the installation of the extension. Once you see the Thank You page, you know the extension has been installed.</li>
<li>On the top right of the window, click the button with three dots, which is the Customize and Control Google Chrome button.</li>
<li>From the menu, select More Tools. Then, select Extensions.</li>
<li>The Block Site Options page opens to allow you to enter the websites you want to block. Type the website in the box, and click Add Page. That website is now blocked.</li>
</ol>
<h2 id="how-to-block-a-website-in-firefox">How to block a website in Firefox</h2>
<p>There are also ways to block websites in Firefox, even though it does not come with the default installation. Computer Hope provides these step-by-step instructions on how to block a website on Firefox:</p>
<ol>
<li>From the list of menus at the top of the browser, select Add-ons and Themes.</li>
<li>Look for a search bar in the top-right corner. Type “BlockSite” into the search bar. The top result should be the BlockSite add-on. Click on the name or description. Next, click “Add to Firefox.”</li>
<li>After the program installs, you will have to restart Firefox to finish the installation.</li>
</ol>
<h2 id="how-to-block-a-website-in-safari">How to block a website in Safari</h2>
<p>Macs with parental control features can block websites on the Safari browser, which comes preinstalled on Apple devices. Here’s how to access this menu:</p>
<ol>
<li>Navigate to the Apple logo in the upper-left corner of the screen.</li>
<li>Select System Preferences and then Screen Time.</li>
<li>Next, click on Content & Privacy. You will then be given a list of options for restricting web content. Click on “Limit Adult Websites.” If there is a particular website you wish to block, click on the “Customize” button. You can then enter the URL you wish to block.</li>
<li>Finally, click the Ok button to save your settings.</li>
</ol>
<p>You can also use a firewall or antivirus system, or block websites at the Wi-Fi network level instead of the individual device level, depending on the computer’s location and the browser you’re using.</p>
<h2 id="how-to-block-a-website-in-microsoft-edge">How to block a website in Microsoft Edge</h2>
<p>The Microsoft Edge browser is preinstalled on many Windows computers, and you can adjust these browser settings to block or restrict certain websites. Notably, these settings are geared toward parental controls, so the navigation refers to “adult” and “child” accounts. To block sites on Microsoft Edge, follow these steps:</p>
<ol>
<li>Ensure you are logged in to the “adult” Microsoft account, which modifies the child’s Microsoft account.</li>
<li>Visit family.microsoft.com.</li>
<li>Find the account in question on the Your Family page, and select it.</li>
<li>Navigate to the section labeled Web Browsing.</li>
<li>Turn on “Block inappropriate websites.”</li>
<li>Once you turn on this setting, you can add to the list of websites you do not want that account to visit.</li>
</ol>
<p>In addition to using these settings, you can install an antivirus system, block sites at the Wi-Fi network level or use a firewall. The best setting for your needs depends on the control you need and the browser being used. These options may be better for establishing settings across multiple devices or accounts. You can also modify each computer to block websites through administrator settings, but this may be too complicated or advanced for some users.</p>
<h2 id="how-to-block-a-website-on-an-iphone-or-ipad">How to block a website on an iPhone or iPad</h2>
<p>You can configure an iPhone or iPad to block websites that fit your criteria. For example, you can block all adult websites or only specific keywords.</p>
<p>Here’s how to block websites:</p>
<ol>
<li>Open the Settings app.</li>
<li>Scroll down to select Screen Time.</li>
<li>Go to Content & Privacy Restrictions.</li>
<li>Tap the button at the top of this menu to turn on Content & Privacy Restrictions if it’s not already selected.</li>
<li>Go to Content Restrictions, and tap that menu item.</li>
<li>Scroll down to Web Content, and tap to limit adult websites or provide a list of allowed websites.</li>
</ol>
<p>Here’s how to block searches:</p>
<ol>
<li>Follow steps 1 through 5 above.</li>
<li>Instead of scrolling down to the Web Content section of the menu, tap the Web Search Content and Explicit Language menus. From there, you can disallow web search content or web searches that use explicit language.</li>
</ol>
<p>Don’t forget to set a password to ensure that the settings cannot be undone without your permission.</p>
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<h2 id="how-to-block-a-website-on-an-android-device">How to block a website on an Android device</h2>
<p>Android devices can block undesirable websites and searches in several ways. Some of these methods are more technologically advanced than others. Because Android devices utilize the Chrome browser, you can adjust those settings on each device. There are also apps that enforce these restrictions on the device. Here are your options:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Browser extension:</strong> You can <a href="https://www.androidauthority.com/block-websites-android-1006244/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">download and install BlockSite</a> on the Google Chrome browser. Search for BlockSite in the browser extension area, and follow the instructions to install it.</li>
<li><strong>Antivirus software:</strong> Some antivirus software that can be installed on an Android device doubles as a website blocker.</li>
<li><strong>Firewall:</strong> One of the more technologically advanced options is to install a firewall that blocks access to unwanted content on both Wi-Fi and data networks.</li>
</ul>


If you want to prevent your employees from accessing certain websites on your company's network, you can implement content filters to ensure they remain on task.

How to Block Websites From Employee Use

Marketing

Marketing Strategy

<p>While navigating the turbulent marketing seas, don’t lose sight of one of your most significant audiences: your local market. However, you may need to use some targeted strategies to reach this audience. Local marketing differs from other marketing practices, as it leans heavily on building relationships within your neighborhood or within a certain radius of your business.</p>
<h2 id="what-is-local-marketing">What is local marketing?</h2>
<p>Local marketing is a type of marketing that specifically targets customers who live within a certain distance of the company’s location. This method allows businesses to market goods and services to potential customers who live in a certain city or ZIP code. Small businesses often overlook this marketing strategy, as many of them take their marketing cues from larger conglomerates.</p>

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<p>There are many ways to reach out to local markets. Not every strategy will work for every company, but these marketing tips can guide you.</p>
<h2 id="14-local-marketing-strategies">14 local marketing strategies</h2>
<p>Many local marketing strategies involve tailoring some tried-and-true marketing tactics to bring in that local clientele. These ideas can help you start building your own successful local marketing strategy.</p>
<h3>1. Know the audience.</h3>
<p>The first and most important step in developing any marketing campaign is knowing who your audience is. You should not only know what group the ideal customer belongs to, but also have an idea of the ideal customer’s interests and what will appeal to them. You should also find out where your audience is. For example, what <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/social-media-customer-retention/">social media platforms</a> does your audience spend the most time on?</p>
<h3>2. Target the audience.</h3>
<p>You need to reach them now that you know who and where your audience is. Build your campaigns around the audience’s interests. Use the keywords they’ll be searching for. Make advertisements that explain how your product or service solves a problem the audience has.</p>
<h3>3. Get involved in your community.</h3>
<p>Find local events and participate. Volunteer for a cause in your community, and wear T-shirts with your logo. Donate prizes to competitions and contests that will engage your community and make them want to return to your company.</p>
<h3>4. Take advantage of local directories.</h3>
<p>An easy way to drive local traffic is to ensure you appear in local search results. You can do this by listing your company on sites like Google My Business and Yelp.</p>
<h3>5. Gather and post testimonials.</h3>
<p>People are more likely to post negative reviews than good ones, but when you <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/how-to-use-customer-feedback/">find positive feedback</a>, share it and post it on other sites. When you have positive interactions with customers, encourage those customers to write and share good reviews.</p>
<h3>6. Use local media.</h3>
<p>Don’t underestimate the power of local media, especially in a small town. Local newspapers, radio stations or shows can be highly effective if you want to generate more foot traffic.</p>
<h3>7. Run local search engine marketing campaigns.</h3>
<p>You can use software like Google Ads to create campaigns that drive online and in-store local traffic. Look into pay-per-click campaigns and other advertising options that can help you optimize your marketing spend and reach the right audience.</p>
<h3>8. Work on your search engine optimization (SEO).</h3>
<p>Search engine optimization, particularly organic SEO, involves creating content and ensuring you have a technically sound website to reach your customers without (or in addition to) paying for ads.</p>
<p>Organic SEO can be a significant investment that takes months or even years to pay off, but the benefits are immense. This strategy becomes more important as search engines like Google refine their technologies to deliver more relevant results to searchers, including local search results when people look for restaurants, salons, and other services near their current location.</p>
<h3>9. Use social media to engage the audience.</h3>
<p><a href="https://www.business.com/articles/social-media-marketing-guide/">Social media</a> can be a great way to connect with an audience in a professional but human way. Use social channels that your local target market is on to answer customer questions and have conversations with your audience.</p>
<h3>10. Run contests or promotions.</h3>
<p>Promotions like contests can be great tools for engaging a local audience. Be creative with your contests, and offer prizes that your ideal customer would want. <a href="/articles/how-to-attract-customers-to-your-restaurant/">Offer promotions</a> to celebrate local events or to connect with the community in other ways.</p>
<h3>11. Establish yourself as an authority.</h3>
<p>Write blog posts that answer customer questions pertaining to your industry. This not only helps with SEO, but also gives your business credence and helps set you apart from your competitors.</p>
<h3>12. Cross-promote with other local businesses.</h3>
<p>When done properly, cross-promotion can be a highly effective method of marketing. As the name suggests, it is a mutually beneficial marketing method that involves two or more businesses promoting each other to their customers. This allows each company to gain more customers and boost sales overall. This method offers immediate exposure to a vast array of potential customers with minimal effort.</p>
<h3>13. Host or sponsor local events.</h3>
<p>Another great method of local promotion is hosting or sponsoring events. Whether you choose a seminar, dance party, banquet, or any other event you feel will attract the demographic you seek, this method is often effective because you are allowing people to have a good time and/or get information.</p>
<h3>14. Have a mobile-friendly website.</h3>
<p>Mobile searches are one of the top ways local customers will find and view information about your business. It’s also now a key factor in SEO, as more traffic comes from smartphones and other mobile devices than ever before.</p>
<p>If you have not yet optimized your business’s website, doing so could work wonders for your local marketing. Those who use mobile search are already in your area and seeking local businesses to patronize. Ensuring your website appears correctly on iPhones and other smartphones could boost your business overnight.</p>

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<h2 id="what-is-the-pareto-principle,-and-how-does-it-connect-to-local-marketing">What is the Pareto principle, and how does it connect to local marketing?</h2>
<p>Named after economist Vilfredo Pareto, the Pareto principle states that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. For example, just 20% of your marketing campaigns are responsible for 80% of your success, or 20% of your customer base accounts for 80% of your sales.</p>
<p>With the Pareto principle in mind, you should track your marketing efforts and find the best strategies for engaging with your audience. Once you find the 20% that’s most successful, spend the majority of your efforts on these campaigns and platforms. This is especially important for smaller local businesses with little money or room to experiment.</p>
<h2 id="local-marketing-faqs">Local marketing FAQs</h2>
<p>What other ways can your business stand apart and attract more local patrons? Explore these frequently asked questions to identify other strategies that may work for your business.</p>
<h3>How is local marketing measured?</h3>
<p>Measuring local marketing is a multipronged approach that involves tracking both digital and in-store metrics. Collecting and analyzing data is key; the data can come from many places. For instance, in-person sales data can be pulled and analyzed from your point-of-sale systems. However, it’s important to not just rely on those, as they exclude a wide swath of customers outside the store. Digital metrics like website analytics, your digital advertising’s return on investment, and information collected by your <a href="https://www.business.com/categories/crm-software/">customer relationship management (CRM) software</a> all play a role in measuring the success of your efforts.</p>
<h3>Who benefits from local marketing?</h3>
<p>Local marketing can benefit any business with a location that depends heavily on foot traffic. Restaurants, hair and nail salons, pharmacies, hardware stores, ice cream shops, gift shops, record stores, and many more businesses that profit off traffic from curious passersby would do well to invest in local marketing strategies that encourage these potential patrons to visit.</p>
<h3>What are some examples of local marketing campaigns?</h3>
<p>While the term “local marketing” certainly evokes small businesses and community organizations, plenty of big or global companies develop local marketing strategies to reach more individuals in a particular region where they’d like to increase sales. These are some successful local marketing campaigns to study:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Airbnb:</strong> This travel company shifted from a rental platform to a provider of local travel experiences in 2014, <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/how-to-announce-rebranding/">rebranding the company</a> to reflect these new values. To connect with individual regions and countries – a sprawling mission, considering the size of the company – Airbnb developed country-specific social media campaigns, distributed a print and digital magazine tailored to each region, and hosted experiences for tourists led by locals.</li>
<li><strong>Kit Kat:</strong> The word “Kit Kat” sounds like the Japanese phrase “kitto katsu,” which translates to “you will surely win,” a phrase roughly equivalent to “good luck.” Understanding the coincidence, Nestle leaned into the extra meaning the Kit Kat brand took on in Japan. The company created a campaign that allowed Japanese customers to print good-luck messages on Kit Kat bars and mail them to loved ones. By understanding what was occurring on the ground, Nestle was able to build a stronger connection with customers while <a href="https://adage.com/article/special-report-cannes-2009/cannes-advertising-festival-kit-kat-wins-media-grand-prix/137520" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earning an estimated $11 million in free media</a> in the process.</li>
<li><strong>Nike: </strong>The global athletic apparel company has executed several successful campaigns to appeal to customers worldwide. In China, Nike launches a Chinese New Year-themed shoe annually. In London, the brand launched a campaign specifically to target young residents of the city called “Nothing Beats a Londoner,” showing different sports played throughout the city by residents wearing Nike gear. This approach helps personalize a brand that may seem too big to be personal.</li>
</ul>

Use these marketing tactics to help you or your clients win business in your community.

14 Ways to Improve Your Local Marketing Strategy

Marketing Solutions

<p>The internet has drastically changed the advertising industry, and it continues to evolve as new technology and platforms are released.</p>
<p>“Advertising on the internet has become a double-edged sword,” said Halli Bruton, content and social media account executive with Burdette Ketchum. “There are more platforms and places to advertise than ever before, but at the same time, consumers are being shown so much advertising throughout the day that it takes something special to grab their attention.”</p>
<p>Advanced digital marketing technologies can help reduce clutter and noise so your company can reach potential customers. Read on to learn more about some of the technologies changing how companies of all sizes reach, attract and capture new customers.</p>
<h2 id="9-digital-marketing-trends-that-are-here-to-stay">9 digital marketing trends that are here to stay</h2>
<p>To become more competitive, your company can use various <a href="/articles/how-to-choose-a-digital-marketing-strategy/">digital marketing strategies</a> to gain an edge, such as the following.</p>
<h3>Automation and programmatic advertising</h3>
<p>Automation has found its place in nearly all facets of the internet, and advertising is no different. The internet provides a large data set on consumers, and there’s no way advertisers can manually browse through all that information to build profiles of their ideal customers. Algorithms are essential for analyzing that material and putting it to use.</p>
<p>Automated advertising platforms save time and money by freeing up advertising departments that need to build and manage continual ad campaigns. You may see these referred to as programmatic advertising, which is the practice of delivering ads based on targeted audiences instead of distributing them in a wide and aimless fashion.</p>
<p>The automated platforms use data to bid on ad space, detecting which ads are performing better and then putting in more bids for those that result in more conversions. Of course, you set a cap on how much the platform spends on ad space. These automated platforms can be set to run until they reach your desired <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/how-to-measure-digital-marketing-roi/">return on investment (ROI) for your digital marketing</a> campaign.</p>
<p>The other end of this process is also likely automated, with algorithm-based platforms like Google AdSense automatically selling ad space for websites. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau, about <a href="https://www.iab.com/guidelines/programmatic-rtb/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">20% of digital advertising</a> business is done by one machine interacting with another, and that number is growing.</p>
<h3>Sophisticated email marketing</h3>
<p>Email is already a very powerful and effective digital marketing tool, made even more impactful with sophisticated targeting. The <a href="https://www.business.com/categories/best-email-marketing-services/">best email marketing platforms</a> have already introduced advanced tools that support hyper-specific pinpointing of customer segments that are more likely to buy certain products over others. Keep in mind that too much email can exhaust customers and that there are better ways to get your message to people, such as emerging technologies that help boost your email to the top of an inbox.</p>
<p>Here are some examples of these innovations:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>BIMI:</strong> This is an authentication technology that helps reduce brand spoofing and indicates to recipients that your email is legitimate.</li>
<li><strong>AI:</strong> Artificial intelligence tools are making their way into email marketing through features like send-time optimization.</li>
</ul>

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<h3>Social media and mobile</h3>
<p>As of 2021, <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/fact-sheet/social-media/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">72% of U.S. adults use at least one social media platform</a>. It’s a no-brainer to sell ads on social media. Fortunately, the major sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, have robust advertising platforms. Furthermore, a staggering 80% of users interact with social media on mobile devices, according to <a href="https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2017/01/05/social-media-marketing-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WordStream</a>, which means that companies need to optimize their advertising for that medium.</p>
<p>The highest-performing ads on social media take advantage of geolocation technology on mobile devices, allowing for hyperlocal ads to target users within a predetermined area.</p>
<p>Video is also a growing area for advertising that’s catching people’s attention. According to Neil Patel, video ads on social media get much more engagement than non-video ads. On YouTube, viewers are 1.4 times more likely to watch and share ads on mobile. A popular type of video on social media doesn’t require sound and uses subtitles, allowing non-disruptive viewing in public.</p>
<p>It’s not just about advertising on the biggest social media platforms. Companies like Nanigans sell advertising space on various mobile apps and games, allowing advertisers to get in on the action if and when these fledgling apps go viral.</p>

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<h3>Native advertising</h3>
<p>Native advertising is on the rise, with advertisements being integrated with popular content sites, bringing back the old line of “This program has been brought to you by ….” Traditional advertising, depending on your audience, is falling by the wayside, especially with the rise of ad-blocking software. Advertisers need new, creative ways to get their messages to viewers and actually get them to listen.</p>
<p>Many advertising networks now include native advertising packages, offering opportunities for sponsored articles that blend in with the rest of a platform’s content.</p>
<p>“Everything on the internet is branded, whether consumers realize it or not,” Bruton said. “It has been proven to be more effective than other forms on the internet. Advertisers are expected to provide content that is engaging and either entertaining or insightful.”</p>
<p>The goal of native advertising is to be nondisruptive to users, and companies like Adyoulike create ads that fit into a website’s or platform’s style and format.</p>
<h3>Progressive web apps</h3>
<p>Known as PWAs for short, progressive web apps deliver the capabilities of an app to the browser experience. Not only does this cement mobile’s place as the most popular way to access the web, but it ensures a smooth customer experience no matter how your customers choose to access your products and services.</p>
<p>PWAs are getting more attention for their prioritization of the user experience, which can tank with even one second of lag. Prioritizing speed, ease of use and clarity is much easier with PWAs.</p>
<h3>Augmented reality</h3>
<p><a href="https://www.business.com/articles/best-augmented-reality-uses/">Augmented reality</a> (AR) merges the real world and the digital world, bringing digital content to life in real-world surroundings. The mobile game Pokemon Go is an example of AR in action, in which the game’s characters are projected onto the player’s surroundings by simply pointing the device’s camera into an area.</p>
<p>“The big boom of augmented reality is happening, as phone manufacturers are already developing AR-capable devices, and that creates a large window of untapped potential for advertisers,” Bruton said.</p>
<p>Snapchat’s various filters for photos are a form of AR, and they are becoming more impressive and already being used by marketers who create branded versions for the platform. AR offers many marketing opportunities for businesses.</p>
<p>While mobile is currently the king of online engagement, wearable tech, like the Apple Watch, is gaining traction and likely already being examined by advertisers.</p>
<h3>Artificial intelligence</h3>
<p>AI is having a big impact on all areas of industry, including marketing. AI systems allow marketers to test out campaigns before dipping into their advertising budgets. One example of an AI marketing assistant that can use predictive analysis about pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns is a program called Albert.</p>
<h3>Voice search</h3>
<p>Every year, advertisers utilize more and more tech advances. Marketers must stay on top of the latest tools of the trade to remain competitive and expand their reach.</p>
<p>The Search Engine Journal recommends that companies prepare their marketing campaigns to target those who rely on voice technology to conduct online searches. The use of virtual assistants is expected to increase, and marketers should adjust PPC campaigns to appear in searches that originate from voice assistants. Queries through voice technology are usually longer and have more keywords that can be built out.</p>
<h3>Chatbots</h3>
<p>Chatbots have gained popularity with customer service providers, but they can also be used by marketers. A chatbot automatically generates a conversation with a user in real time, with replies based on the target audience’s answers. For instance, <a href="/articles/technology-leads-to-opportunity/">businesses can use chatbots</a> to distinguish a website visitor’s preferences on certain products, such as makeup or movies.</p>
<p>No matter how niche or fad-like, no trendy app, platform or device should be ignored for advertising potential. In a time when traditional advertising is continually being ignored by younger generations, advertisers need to evolve and adapt.</p>
<h2 id="looking-to-the-future-of-digital-advertising">Looking to the future of digital advertising</h2>
<p>Advertisers need to keep looking forward as the internet changes and new technology develops, but at the heart of any campaign is still its creativity. Good, effective advertising will still drive the messaging home. Even the best technologies can’t ensure a campaign will be successful if the ads are not of quality.</p>
<p>“The internet has allowed good, creative advertising to be more effective, because it’s easier than ever to find and track the target audience for optimal effectiveness,” Bruton said. “However, if the advertising is bad, it won’t matter how well the audience has been targeted.”</p>
<p><i>Andreas Rivera contributed to the writing and reporting in this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.</i></p>

Advertisers must adapt to new technology or be ignored online.

How Technology Is Changing Online Advertising

Business Basics

Strategy

<p>As a business owner, you need to know how to differentiate yourself from your competitors. Business differentiation is what gives your brand the upper hand; it’s how you distinguish yourself from your rivals in a way that piques interest and keeps customers happy. It’s essential to know how to differentiate yourself from your competitors so that your brand stands out in a positive way from all the rest. If you find a way to distinguish your business from a similar one, you’re already on track for success.</p>
<h2 id="what-is-product-differentiation">What is product differentiation?</h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter  wp-image-44331" src="https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26125146/What-is-product-differentiation.png" alt="graphic of a lightbulb on a pedestal" width="504" height="319" srcset="https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26125146/What-is-product-differentiation.png 2219w, https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26125146/What-is-product-differentiation-1024x648.png 1024w, https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26125146/What-is-product-differentiation-2048x1297.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 504px) 100vw, 504px" /></p>
<p>Product differentiation is what makes your items or services unique. This can be because of a particular technology or design you own, specialty support you offer, a stellar customer experience you create or anything else. The goal here is to identify and focus on the <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/5-reasons-why-product-quality-matters/">aspects of your product</a> or service that make customers want to work with you.</p>
<h2 id="why-is-product-differentiation-important">Why is product differentiation important?</h2>
<p>Consumers have many options in nearly every sector for purchasing decisions, including restaurants, furniture and electronics. What makes them choose one brand over another? This is where product differentiation comes into play. These are three ways that product differentiation is important:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>It helps you gain a competitive advantage.</strong> It’s only natural that customers compare your product to similar ones on the market. Be prepared for these comparisons by knowing what makes your product or service special.</li>
<li><strong>It helps you build brand awareness.</strong> All parts of your brand identity can be used to help build brand awareness, including your logo, brand storytelling, your company mission and the unique value of your product.</li>
<li><strong>It helps you build a relationship with your target audience. </strong>Consider your ideal customer when creating a strategy to discern your product. What features do they need and want? How much will they pay? How do they make purchasing decisions? Knowing your audience can help you shape how you separate your product from others in the market.</li>
</ul>

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<h2 id="types-of-product-differentiation">Types of product differentiation</h2>
<p>There are three types of product differentiation: vertical differentiation, horizontal differentiation and mix differentiation. Here is a bit about each:</p>
<table class="styled-table">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td><strong>Vertical differentiation</strong></td>
<td>Customers rank their options based on an objective factor, such as feature availability, price or quality. These lists are often sorted from best to worst, or vice versa.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Horizontal differentiation</strong></td>
<td>Customers sort their options based on a subjective factor, such as personal viewpoint or tastes. Choosing a product based on available color or flavor is an example of horizontal differentiation.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><strong>Mixed differentiation</strong></td>
<td>This combines objective and subjective factors. This differentiation type means that consumers are evaluating pricing and features with their own wants and needs. For example, buying a computer involves a mix of vertical and horizontal differentiation. A customer will take objective factors, like price and necessary features; and subjective factors, like the color of the computer, into account.</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2 id="how-to-differentiate-your-products">How to differentiate your products</h2>
<p>These are a few key ways to stand out among your competitors:</p>
<h3>1. Offer unbeatable customer service.</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter  wp-image-44330" src="https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124843/Offer-unbeatable-customer-service.png" alt="graphic of a person walking past a large smartphone with a 5 star review on it" width="506" height="346" srcset="https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124843/Offer-unbeatable-customer-service.png 2219w, https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124843/Offer-unbeatable-customer-service-1024x700.png 1024w, https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124843/Offer-unbeatable-customer-service-2048x1400.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 506px) 100vw, 506px" /></p>
<p>Research from Microsoft shows that nearly <a href="https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/dynamics365/bdm/2016/07/22/4-frustrating-customer-service-experiences-and-how-to-fix-them/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">60% of consumers won’t hesitate to switch brands</a> when customer service doesn’t live up to their expectations. So, if you think you can cut corners with customer service spending, think again. Allocate more budget for customer service as you continue to grow. This helps you stand out from the crowd by placing the focus of your company on having the best customer service possible. As time goes on, the correlation between customer service and your business’s success will only grow stronger.</p>
<p>Also, take customer feedback seriously. Treat each customer like their experience is unique, and act like they’re your most important buyer. If you make it easier for your customers to do business with, you stand a foot taller than your competition.</p>
<p>Research has shown that consumers are willing to spend more on a company if it means a better service experience, so why wouldn’t you want to make your business more consumer based?</p>
<p>You can check social media to see what people like and dislike about your brand. Apply what you learn from those comments and feedback to improve your product or service, creating a more positive overall experience. Social media has a significant impact on how businesses fare. A couple of bad reviews could mean significantly less revenue, so pay attention to any online chatter. It may also be a good idea to publicly offer this person a discount or coupon for a chance for a better experience next time.</p>
<h3>2. Lean into your niche.</h3>
<p>There’s no possible way you’ll be able to appeal to every single person out there. Everyone has different interests, needs and reasons that drive them to buy. It’s not cost-effective to be so general in your approach that people are confused about your message.</p>
<p>Instead, you should “niche down.” Be the expert in a sea of generics.</p>
<p>Your niche market allows you to market how your brand is different – and better – than your competitors. Do more for your customers than they expect from you. Go above and beyond to ensure their needs are met.</p>
<p>To do this, identify what your customers need from you and what matters most to them. This may be how quickly an issue gets resolved, a flexible return and exchange policy, or friendly engagement with employees – knowing these things will <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/measure-and-improve-marketing-roi/">improve your ROI</a> and get you positive reviews. The more emphasis you put on what you excel at, the happier your customers will be.</p>
<h3>3. Add a personal touch.</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter  wp-image-44328" src="https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124517/Add-a-personal-touch.png" alt="graphic of a 20% off coupon coming out of an envelope" width="505" height="322" srcset="https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124517/Add-a-personal-touch.png 2256w, https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124517/Add-a-personal-touch-1024x654.png 1024w, https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124517/Add-a-personal-touch-2048x1307.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 505px) 100vw, 505px" /></p>
<p>Creating an emotional connection through your brand is critical to stand out. For every happy consumer, <a href="https://www.groovehq.com/support/customer-support-statistics" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nine referrals come out of it</a>. That’s a lot of extra business.</p>
<p>It’s even better if you put extra focus on making your existing customers happy. It’s 14 times more likely that you’ll sell to an existing customer than a new one. They already have experience with your products and trust you as a brand, so it’s easier to convince them to buy again. This emphasizes the importance of building a relationship with <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/what-makes-customer-loyalty-so-important/">longtime customers</a>, because they can easily make up the bulk of your profits.</p>
<p>You can do this by making their buying experience more straightforward, knowing what they need and are looking for, and making your brand’s message catered to them. Personalizing any aspect of your business is a step in the right direction to give your patrons what they want.</p>
<p>There are many ways you can choose to be different from others in the business world. These seven tips should help you get started on a few things that really matter: your customers’ experiences, how you brand yourself and personalization. If you go the extra mile to ensure your consumers are happy, it’ll do your business good.</p>
<h3>4. Use price as a distinguishing factor.</h3>
<p>Using price to distinguish yourself doesn’t always mean offering the lowest price. Today’s market allows for all sorts of pricing models, including freemium and subscribe-and-save.</p>

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<h3>5. Give your customers options to customize your products.</h3>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ch/Documents/consumer-business/ch-en-consumer-business-made-to-order-consumer-review.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Deloitte Consumer Review</a>, one-third of purchasers seek out custom products. They are willing to pay 20% more for them, and in many cases there’s a minimal increase in production costs with any customization. Allowing your customers to personalize your product can be the deciding factor for them to go with your company over the competition.</p>
<h3>6. Be socially responsible.</h3>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter  wp-image-44329" src="https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124738/Be-socially-responsible.png" alt="graphic of two people standing under a globe with a recycling sign on it" width="506" height="341" srcset="https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124738/Be-socially-responsible.png 2219w, https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124738/Be-socially-responsible-1024x689.png 1024w, https://images.business.com/app/uploads/2018/11/26124738/Be-socially-responsible-2048x1379.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 506px) 100vw, 506px" /></p>
<p>A <a href="https://www.cgsinc.com/en/infographics/CGS-Survey-Reveals-Sustainability-Is-Driving-Demand-and-Customer-Loyalty" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CGS study</a> reported that nearly 50% of consumers were willing to pay more for socially responsible products. <a href="/articles/can-you-make-a-profit-and-be-socially-responsible/">Social responsibility</a> can take many forms, including donations to charity, sustainable manufacturing, community programs, and fair benefits and wages for your employees. It shows that you are concerned about people instead of just the bottom line, and patrons want to purchase from companies they feel good about.</p>
<h3>7. Use speed to your advantage.</h3>
<p>It gives you an advantage if you can deliver faster than your competition. Particularly with online shopping, speed is often the deciding factor. Customers want their products quickly, and they will choose the company that can deliver.</p>

As a business owner, you need to know how to differentiate your business from your competitors.

7 Surefire Strategies to Help You Stand Out From the Competition

Entrepreneurship

<p>If your company is considering selling products under its name or adding new products to its current lineup, private labeling may be a good option for you. Private labeling allows you to outsource the manufacturing, sourcing, importing, shipping and other aspects of the supply chain to another company. Private labeling can help you gain access to the whole supply chain without requiring you to build your own networks. Before you move forward with private labeling, however, it is important to learn more about how it works, as well as its advantages and disadvantages.</p>
<h2 id="what-is-private-labeling">What is private labeling?</h2>
<p>Private labeling allows brands to outsource product sourcing and manufacturing to a third party. With private labeling, you apply the brand to the packaging only when it is time to sell the product. Although many consumers are unaware of the prevalence of this practice, it is common in today’s shopping environment.</p>
<p>For instance, if you’ve been to Costco, you may be familiar with the Kirkland brand, which includes items ranging from clothes to food. Kirkland Signature generates about one-quarter of Costco Wholesale’s sales and is known as a private-label brand. Amazon also has private-label brands you might never have realized existed.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://plma.com/events/plmas-2022-annual-private-label-trade-show" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Private Label Manufacturers Association</a>, “Private-label market share has reached nearly 25% of unit sales in the U.S. and is expanding faster than national brands.”</p>
<p>Private labeling is a great way for businesses to get their products into people’s hands, said Sara Nesbitt, CEO of Coastal Carolina Soap Co.</p>
<p>“For the business carrying these products, private labeling allows them to sell products they have no way of manufacturing themselves with their unique brand on them,” Nesbitt said.</p>
<p>Private labeling can also describe the practice of taking an ingredient or component supplied and produced by a secondary company and using it to benefit another brand’s product, often without explicit attribution, said Rob Terenzi, co-founder of Vega Coffee.</p>

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<h2 id="how-does-private-labeling-work">How does private labeling work?</h2>
<p>Private-label manufacturers secure deals with individuals or brands to sell their products under the manufacturer’s name with no attribution. The products can be sold independently or in support of other products.</p>
<p>For example, Vega Coffee is purchased by ice cream manufacturers as an ingredient and by other coffee brands to be sold in their marketing and packaging materials. Even though the brand doesn’t receive recognition, it experiences increased sales volume, helping it lower costs across consumer-facing product lines and paying its farmers for their contributions, Terenzi said.</p>
<p>He added that this is a mutually beneficial agreement, as the distributing business can leverage the social impact of Vega Coffee. “In other words, while XYZ brand of coffee may not mention Vega Coffee in their marketing, they will say that their coffee benefits farmers in Latin America, thereby driving more sales through their built-in audience.”</p>
<p>Private labeling works best for products that improve the value of other products, like Vega Coffee does for its ice cream manufacturer.</p>
<p>If you want to start selling a recent product but have no prior experience, private labeling is a great way to start. Consumers will be more willing to purchase your merchandise through larger manufacturers than through a business that has made no previous transactions. However, your product must be able to sell itself without special promotions or brand advertising.</p>

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<h2 id="advantages-of-private-labeling">Advantages of private labeling</h2>
<p>There are both advantages and disadvantages of private labeling for products that are developed and sold by the company that produces them. Advantages of private labeling may include the following:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Loyalty:</strong> The key to long-term business success is building a <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/what-makes-customer-loyalty-so-important/">loyal customer base</a>. Branding through private labeling is a great way to build loyalty from customers who like your products. With limited accessibility, customers become attached to your brand, allowing them to feel as though they are among a select few that own it, which ultimately increases loyalty and sales among your customer base.</li>
<li><strong>High margins:</strong> Brands with private labeling usually have higher profit margins than resale products do, because it is generally cheaper to make your own products than it is to buy premade products, especially if the development and marketing of the products are high-quality.</li>
<li><strong>Wholesale income:</strong> In addition to exclusively selling your product, you may consider operating as a wholesaler for your brand and offering limited access to other retailers that pay a premium acquisition cost for the right to carry your brand. This will generate additional income and <a href="/articles/how-to-strengthen-your-companys-reputation/">spread your brand exposure</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Exclusivity:</strong> Private labeling allows you to separate yourself from your competitors. One of the best things about private labels is that in many cases, you have the exclusive right to sell the product. Good marketing will create demand for the product, which benefits you, because your company is the only source of the product. <strong>[See our guide to creating a <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/sample-marketing-plan-outline-and-template/">business marketing plan</a>.]</strong></li>
</ul>

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<h2 id="disadvantages-of-private-labeling">Disadvantages of private labeling</h2>
<p>There are some disadvantages of private labeling, but by planning ahead, you can usually avoid them.</p>
<p>Disadvantages of private labeling may include the following:</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Minimum orders:</strong> Most manufacturers have a basic requirement of minimum orders when you want them to produce customized products for your private labeling. Unfortunately, in many situations, the minimum order is much larger than what you would otherwise order.</li>
<li><strong>Dead inventory:</strong> Some retailers make the mistake of ordering a line of privately labeled products without knowing whether their customers will like the product. This can leave you with a lot of <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/cash-excess-inventory/">unsold (dead) inventory</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Customer perception:</strong> It is common for people to trust a brand they have used for a long time as opposed to a little-known private-label brand. For this reason, do your research on customer preference before investing in private-label products.</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="choosing-the-right-private-label-manufacturer">Choosing the right private-label manufacturer</h2>
<p>Before choosing a manufacturer, you should research your target customers so you’re familiar with their purchasing patterns and can form the best proposal for potential private-label brands. Attend networking events, trade shows and other events to improve your products, make contacts and gauge competition. You might also consider patenting your idea to prevent competitors from creating similar products.</p>
<p>Many companies or individuals choose Amazon as their private-label manufacturer, but you should also consider manufacturers specific to your products. For instance, Vega Coffee secured deals with ice cream manufacturers and other coffee brands rather than turning to a broad marketplace.</p>
<p>The Private Label Manufacturers Association hosts trade shows where you can find potential partners. Of course, you can find countless other options through a simple internet search.</p>
<h3>Popular private-label manufacturers</h3>
<ul>
<li><strong>Alibaba:</strong> The mega-website has made it much easier to source products outside the U.S. The comprehensive directory connects brands to manufacturers that can create the products they want. It covers a wide range of categories, including electronics, lighting, cookware and personal care products.</li>
<li><strong>Wholesale2b:</strong> This online company offers a directory of top dropshipping suppliers. Dropshipping is when the manufacturer handles product shipping, thereby eliminating your need to obtain warehouse space to store your goods and hire employees to complete the shipping process.</li>
<li><strong>Worldwide Brands:</strong> Founded in 1999, Worldwide Brands conducts research on third-party manufacturers and provides their information to subscribers. This directory can help you decide which private-label manufacturer is best for your needs.</li>
</ul>
<p><i>Business.com editorial staff contributed to the writing and reporting in this article. Source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.</i></p>

Should your store offer its own labeled products to compete with big brands?

What Is Private Labeling, and How Does It Work?

Networking

<p>Every business today is an online business. Whether you’re a corner flower market or a sophisticated digital operation with numerous employees collaborating in real time, you likely need an internet connection to run some aspect of your company. But how fast should your internet be? Connectivity speed is a critical question to ask when <a href="/internet/">buying business internet</a>. </p>
<p>When evaluating how fast your internet should be, consider the type of business you run, your <a href="/articles/what-is-data-management/">data management</a> requirements, how many customers you have and how many employees need access. In this article, we explore the subject of business bandwidth, how fast your internet should be, and <a href="/internet/isp-features/">what to look for in an internet service provider (ISP)</a>. </p>
<p><strong>>> Read Next: </strong><a href="/articles/chatgpt-start-business/"><strong>How to Start an Online Business, According to ChatGPT</strong></a></p>
<h2>How do you measure internet speed?</h2>
<p>Internet speed can be measured in many ways. The most important are bandwidth and upload and download speeds. </p>
<h3>What is bandwidth?</h3>
<p>Bandwidth is an internet connection’s maximum capacity over a specific amount of time. Bandwidth is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). Eight bits of data equals one byte. </p>
<p>In theory, the higher the number of megabits per second, the faster the internet speed. </p>
<p>However, other factors influence internet speed, including the number of people using the network, your office shape and size, and your business’s internet-related activities. Notably, the speed at which you upload and download files will differ (more on this below). </p>
<p>Bandwidth is calculated assuming that only one device is downloading or uploading files at any given time. For example, if your bandwidth is 300 Mbps but two devices are connected to the network, each device might have a maximum bandwidth of 150 Mbps. That said, some providers prioritize certain applications or devices over others, so this is not always the case.</p>
<h3>What are upload and download speeds?</h3>
<p>Upload and download speeds are the primary factors businesses should consider when selecting an internet plan.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Upload speeds </strong>are how long it takes for data, like a file, to be sent from your computer to another location, such as another computer or cloud document storage system. The average recommended upload speed to complete most business tasks, like making calls over the internet, is 5 Mbps. <strong>[See our picks for the </strong><a href="/categories/document-management-software/"><strong>best document management software</strong></a><strong>.]</strong></li>
<li><strong>Download speeds </strong>are how long it takes for your computer to receive information. Every online action you take — whether you’re uploading a video or accessing a website — requires fast, stable download capabilities. Your minimum speed requirements depend on your company’s operations. Some tasks need more bandwidth than others, which may require you to work with an ISP that can deliver speeds as high as 25 Mbps.</li>
</ul>
<p>A strong 4G LTE connection should suffice for most businesses’ uploading and downloading needs, particularly if your team is spread out over multiple locations. However, a more intensive broadband speed — 100 Mbps or higher — may be necessary if your employees download or upload files regularly or conduct other resource-intensive tasks from the same point of connection.</p>

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<h2>What are the types of internet connections?</h2>
<p>Various <a href="/internet/types/">internet service types</a> for businesses serve specific purposes and offer different speeds. The type of internet connection you should pursue depends on your area’s infrastructure, your business location and your use cases. </p>
<p>Here are the four most popular internet categories and what you can expect in terms of speed for each one.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>DSL:</strong> DSL stands for digital subscriber line. A DSL connection runs through your landline <a href="/articles/types-of-phone-systems/">business phone system</a>. The average DSL download speed starts at around 6 Mbps, while the average upload speed starts at approximately 1 Mbps.</li>
<li><strong>Cable:</strong> Cable internet uses the same wiring that delivers cable television to your home. The average download speed for cable internet ranges from 10 Mbps to 500 Mbps, while the upload speeds can range from 5 Mbps to 50 Mbps. If you’re weighing <a href="/internet/dsl-vs-cable/">cable versus DSL</a>, note that cable is much faster, but DSL is less expensive.</li>
<li><strong>Fiber optic:</strong> <a href="/internet/fiber-optic/">Fiber-optic business internet</a> uses fiber-optic cables instead of copper wires like its cable equivalent. Fiber-optic cables use light signals to deliver data to and from your devices. Fiber-optic internet can support download and upload speeds between 250 Mbps and 1 gigabit per second (Gbps).</li>
<li><strong>Satellite internet:</strong> Satellite internet uses radio waves that communicate with satellites in space to deliver internet connections. Download speeds can range from 12 Mbps to 150 Mbps, while upload speeds are typically around 3 Mbps.</li>
</ul>

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<h2>How fast should your business internet be?</h2>
<p>The average business requires at least 25 Mbps of download speed and 3 Mbps of upload speed to conduct everyday tasks like emailing, exchanging files, using cloud-based software and videoconferencing. In fact, these speeds are the FCC’s official broadband definition minimums. </p>
<p>However, business internet speed requirements vary significantly between companies, and your speed needs will likely increase as your enterprise grows and you adopt more data-intensive processes. </p>
<p>Consider these factors when determining your internet speed requirements. </p>
<ul>
<li>What type of business do you operate?</li>
<li>Do you regularly upload and download large files?</li>
<li>Are your internet needs limited to sending emails and communicating with customers?</li>
<li>To what extent does your business depend on fast internet speeds?</li>
<li>How many employees will use the network at any given time?</li>
</ul>

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<h2>How fast should your connection be for different tasks?</h2>
<p>Use the following chart to get an idea of the ideal internet speeds based on the number of devices being used and the online tasks you need to perform.</p>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th>
<p><strong>Task</strong></p>
</th>
<th>
<p><strong>Number of users/devices</strong></p>
</th>
<th>
<p><strong>Ideal speed</strong></p>
</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>Online browsing, email usage and research</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>1-2</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>5 Mbps</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>Downloading large files, business communication like <a href="/articles/voip/">Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)</a> and basic business Wi-Fi use</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>3-5</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>25 Mbps</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p><a href="/articles/get-the-most-out-of-video-conferences/">Videoconferencing</a> and streaming, numerous point-of-sale transactions and frequent file-sharing</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>5-10</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>75 Mbps</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>Video conferencing, frequent <a href="/articles/8-ways-cloud-computing-can-increase-productivity/">cloud computing</a> and data backups</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>10-15</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>150 Mbps</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>Seamless streaming, conferencing and server hosting</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>15-20</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>250 Mbps</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>Multiple servers hosted, heavy online backups and constant cloud-based computing</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>20-30</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>500 Mbps</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p>Extreme speed operations with zero interruptions</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>30+</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>1,000 Mbps (1GB)</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Consult your ISP if you’re still unsure how much bandwidth your business needs. Many providers offer online calculators to help you better understand your needs and options.</p>
<h2>How do you choose a business internet provider?</h2>
<p>The first step in choosing a business internet provider is to determine what vendors service your location. To find out what ISPs are available in your area, check out the <a href="https://www.inmyarea.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">InMyArea</a> online tool. Input your address or ZIP code to see provider options.</p>
<p>The next step is to evaluate your company’s needs and budget constraints, and to compare those to the plans offered by the ISPs in your area. Consider the following as part of that process.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Speed:</strong> What is the fastest available speed at a price you can afford? </li>
<li><strong>Customer service:</strong> Will the provider help troubleshoot technical issues? Your business depends on your internet uptime, and you can’t afford to be ignored in times of trouble. </li>
<li><strong>Contracts:</strong> Will you be locked into a lengthy contract with this provider? A more flexible contact is beneficial if the provider doesn’t deliver top speeds or you find a new provider later that better meets your needs. </li>
</ul>
<p>Discuss your options with the available ISPs and see if any vendors will price-match their competitors. Finally, take the time to read customer reviews for the providers you’re weighing — are existing users satisfied with their services? These steps should narrow down the possibilities and ultimately lead you to the right provider choice for your business. </p>

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<h2>What are the best business internet service providers?</h2>
<p>The <a href="/internet/best/">best business internet service providers</a> boast top-quality service with optimal speeds and excellent uptime. If you’re seeking a new provider, consider the following vendors.</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>AT&T: </strong>AT&T offers small businesses a wide selection of service plans that vary in speed and price. Options include symmetrical (equal) download and upload speeds, fiber connections, and bundles with phone service. To learn more and see prices, read our in-depth <a href="/internet/att/review/">AT&T review</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Verizon:</strong> Verizon sells extensive service plans for businesses of all sizes, including packages with 5G Business Internet, LTE Business Internet and 5G Ultra Wideband. There are a slew of add-on options, such as a videoconferencing platform. Our full <a href="/internet/verizon/review/">Verizon review</a> has all the details.</li>
<li><strong>Comcast Business:</strong> Comcast Business has six service plans, all of which include a dynamic IP address and no data caps. Prices typically range from $49 to $224.99 per month, depending on your region. Contract length may also influence your costs. Read our <a href="/internet/comcast/review/">Comcast Business review</a> for more information.</li>
<li><strong>Viasat:</strong> Viasat’s service is targeted to businesses in rural areas. The vendor offers a range of metered and unlimited internet plans, and provides equipment as part of your monthly fee. For a complete breakdown, read our comprehensive <a href="/internet/viasat/review/">review of Viasat</a>.</li>
<li><strong>Spectrum Business: </strong>Spectrum serves more than 10,000 ZIP codes in 42 states with three business internet plans that vary in speed and price. Businesses may especially appreciate the option for month-to-month contracts. Our detailed <a href="/internet/spectrum/review/">Spectrum Business review</a> contains everything you need to know.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Mark Fairlie and Kimberlee Leonard contributed to this article. </em></p>

Determine how much internet speed you need to run your business.

What Is the Best Internet Speed for Your Business?

Legal

<p>Shareholders don’t always work out. Whatever the reason, there sometimes comes a point where one shareholder wants to cut ties with another in their company. While it’s a complicated process, it’s not impossible – especially if you take precautions. Here are five steps you should consider taking when making moves to remove a shareholder.</p>
<h2 id="1-refer-to-the-shareholders-agreement">1. Refer to the shareholders’ agreement.</h2>
<p>A shareholders’ agreement outlines the rights and obligations of each shareholder in an organization. Typically, it is created and agreed on by all shareholders to ensure everyone is fairly represented. That way, if you want to cut ties with a shareholder down the line, you can refer to this document for guidance.</p>
<p>“The shareholders’ agreement is a contract between all the shareholders that they will not do certain things,” said Nate Masterson, marketing manager for Maple Holistics. “If the conduct rules are specific enough, getting rid of a shareholder for misconduct becomes much simpler.”</p>
<p>This is especially useful when removing a majority shareholder – someone who owns more than 50% of the company’s outstanding shares. If they violate anything explicitly stated in the agreement, you can remove them solely based on that offense. To avoid this issue, you can also make a provision in the agreement to elect a director annually, said Masterson.</p>
<p>Make sure to be specific with the agreement. It’s important that you review details that can influence how and when to remove a shareholder, as well as any consequences for doing so. Look for details like the dates, the number of issued shares, anything related to<a href="https://www.business.com/articles/statement-of-shareholder-equity/"> shareholder equity</a>, and the rights of shareholders in the event of a company sale, among other clauses that may impact the shareholder removal process.</p>
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<h2 id="2-consult-professionals">2. Consult professionals.</h2>
<p>Before acting, especially without a shareholders’ agreement in place, you need to reach out for professional insight to avoid any legal issues. While you might think the process is simple, it requires much thought and attention.</p>
<p>“In short, removing a shareholder is not something for amateurs,” said Stanley P. Jaskiewicz, esquire at Spector Gadon Rosen Vinci P.C. “You should consult with counsel, under attorney-client privilege, as early as possible. An agreed-upon voluntary buyout between the company and the targeted will almost certainly cost far less than the expense of a contested removal.”</p>
<p>Professionals can help you approach the matter in an objective, negotiable manner, while ensuring you meet any regional requirements in your area. This is crucial in any business decision, particularly ones that might cause tension among business partners. You don’t want to skip this step in the interest of time or money.</p>
<p>“In some cases, the expense of an <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/business-lawyer/">independent attorney</a> may even be necessary, if the company’s counsel has ethical or legal obligations to the target of the removal,” said Jaskiewicz.</p>
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<h2 id="3-claim-majority">3. Claim majority.</h2>
<p>Without an agreement or a violation of it, you’ll need at least 75% majority to remove a shareholder, and said shareholder must have less than a 25% majority. The removal is accomplished through votes, and the shareholder is then compensated upon elimination, according to Masterson.</p>
<p>While claiming majority might work in some cases, it doesn’t against majority shareholders who already acquire more than 50% majority alone, or even majority shareholders with more than 25% majority.</p>
<h2 id="4-negotiate">4. Negotiate.</h2>
<p>If all else fails and you find yourself with no legal reason to remove the individual, you should sit down and negotiate with them, discussing a fair value of their shares.</p>
<p>“Although the shareholder may not be able to keep his shares, he almost certainly can dispute the value of what will be paid for the shares, and whether his removal occurred for an improper purpose,” said Jaskiewicz.</p>
<p>Once you reach an agreement, you can buy back and distribute their shares to individuals in the company.</p>
<p>“If during negotiations you succeed in ousting a shareholder, you must ensure that no shares remain unallocated,” said Anthi Pesmazoglou, legal specialist at Linkilaw. “All shares will have to be either gifted or transferred to another shareholder by using a stock transfer form.”</p>
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<h2 id="5-create-a-non-compete-agreement">5. Create a non-compete agreement.</h2>
<p>If you’re successful in removing your shareholder, proceed with caution. Because the process is often rocky, you want to impose a<a href="https://www.business.com/articles/non-compete-agreements/"> non-compete agreement</a> on your departing shareholder. This will ensure they do not start or enter a business that directly competes with your organization for a set number of days after leaving.</p>
<h2 id="additional-faqs-about-removing-a-shareholder">Additional FAQs about removing a shareholder</h2>
<h3>What is a shareholder?</h3>
<p>A shareholder is a person, board member, or entity that owns at least one share of company stock.<a href="https://www.business.com/articles/how-to-create-a-stock-purchase-agreement/"> Holding those stocks</a> entitles you to certain profits from the business. Those come in the form of dividends. When a company releases dividends, shareholders receive a portion of those. How much depends on how many shares you own.</p>
<p>Depending on the shareholder agreement, some shareholders may also be allowed to help make some company-wide decisions on things like board member appointments and merger opportunities.</p>
<p>When it comes to shareholders, there is usually a big difference between privately and publicly owned companies. With privately-owned companies, there are typically fewer shareholders, which may mean they have more say in the direction of the company. With publicly owned companies, there are significantly more shareholders (think how many people own a share of Apple stock), which ultimately means the rights aren’t as meaningful.</p>
<h3>Can the majority shareholder be removed?</h3>
<p>According to Lankford Law Firm, although it may be somewhat difficult, removing a majority shareholder is possible – for instance, if they have violated the original terms of the shareholders’ agreement of the company’s bylaws.</p>
<h3>What are the rights of a shareholder?</h3>
<p>Most shareholders are bestowed with the following rights:</p>
<ol>
<li>The right to vote on major issues</li>
<li>Ownership of a portion of the company</li>
<li>The right to transfer ownership</li>
<li>Entitlement to dividends</li>
<li>Opportunity to inspect books and records</li>
<li>The right to sue for wrongful acts</li>
</ol>
<h3>What happens when a shareholder leaves a company?</h3>
<p>According to Corporate Resource Guide, when a shareholder leaves a company, the remaining members of the company must determine the value of the interest of the shareholder leaving. If there is no plan in place, the company must negotiate in order to buy the leaving member out of the company.</p>


Cutting ties with a shareholder isn't simple, but it can be achieved through these five steps.

5 Steps to Remove a Shareholder

Branding

<p>Rebranding is more than just <a href="/branding/">changing your logo</a> or your filter on <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/10-reasons-to-use-instagram-for-business/">Instagram</a>. The process is really about changing how people think about your brand. Companies rebrand for various reasons, including new leadership, a new target audience or a new company vision, but no matter the reason, rebranding is a big deal, and deciding to rebrand should not be taken lightly.</p>

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<p>“Rebranding (or at least one that is done right) will energize your company,” said Mike Jones, CEO of brand agency Resound. “Staff will be clearer on your purpose, vision and values. Potential customers will resonate with your personality and communications. Sales will get easier. Marketing will be more efficient, as designers, writers and creators for your brand will have clear guidelines.”</p>
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<h2 id="how-to-tackle-a-rebrand">How to tackle a rebrand</h2>
<p>Rebranding efforts shouldn’t be rushed. Take the time to develop a detailed plan on how you plan to rebrand and any events surrounding the launch. But before you put pen to paper, think through each stage of your rebrand. These five questions can help you get started.</p>
<h3>1. Ask yourself the tough questions.</h3>
<p>Michelle Barry, founder of Mesmerize Media Consulting, said it’s important to really think about your company and get a strong understanding of who your company is, what you do better than anyone, and what you want your customers to know about you. Think about your current customer base and what type of brand values they are searching for. Keep up to date with current events and find out what is trending right now in the market. What are customers looking for in a business similar to yours?</p>
<p>“I often suggest doing a customer focus group to kick things off, to get a better idea of what your customers think of you right now,” Barry said. “That can help you inform the strategy for how to get your brand to where you want it to be.”</p>
<h3>2. Decide who will execute what.</h3>
<p>Jones suggests asking the following questions:</p>
<ul>
<li>Who needs to be involved to create a clear purpose, vision and values?</li>
<li>Who will redesign your logo?</li>
<li>Does the company name need to change?</li>
<li>Who will create the guidelines for colors, fonts, writing and design?</li>
<li>Who will implement all the new elements (website, signage, collateral, intranet, invoices, etc.) across the company?</li>
</ul>
<p>“In this process, consider the different roles required: leadership team, marketing team, design, copywriting, legal and HR,” Jones said. “If you haven’t led a rebrand before, it’s probably wise to engage a brand agency or consultant to help guide you through the process and provide an outside perspective and even additional resources.”</p>
<h3>3. Create your new brand.</h3>
<p>It won’t, and shouldn’t be, a fast and easy process. You want to make sure you get it right the first time around; otherwise, it could impact the credibility of your business. Jones suggests involving different perspectives at each step in the process. Seek input from customers, employees, partners, vendors, etc., to make sure you’re on track with a new brand that paints your business in the right light.</p>
<p>When creating your new brand, also think about why you’re doing it. If you are doing it just to make the news and get attention, you might want to rethink it. In Barry’s words, “I can’t think of a worse reason to rebrand.”</p>
<h3>4. Prioritize and set goals.</h3>
<p>Since rebranding should be a slow, calculated process, you can’t do everything at once.</p>
<p>“Complete a brand inventory,” said Lauren Craven, director of communications at Imperial Dade. “List everything that is branded, from marketing materials to delivery vehicles to forms and invoices. Prioritize the rebranding of each item, create a timeline, and assign the person responsible for execution.”</p>
<p>Having a plan written down for when you want each part of your rebranding completed can help all those involved stay on track for the announcement, so write down your goals and feelings about the rebranding.</p>
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<h3>5. Make the announcement.</h3>
<p>Once you’ve completed the processes above, it’s time to announce your rebranding. Rebranding is the perfect opportunity to tie into marketing opportunities.</p>
<p>“Send an email to your customers letting them know that they’re going to see some new things,” Jones said. “Clearly explain your goals and reasoning for the rebrand, and assure them that the great service they’ve already been receiving will continue. Get the media involved. Draft up a press release and get it in front of key media outlets in your industry. Write a blog post discussing why you rebranded. Put out the word on social media. And prep your sales and <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/megan-totka-components-of-excellent-customer-service/">customer service</a> for how to inform current customers of the changes.” </p>
<p>Barry echoed this sentiment, saying that it’s best to start with customers and partners because they’ve probably gotten used to the way your business has conducted things thus far, and they will want advanced knowledge of the change and why it’s occurring.</p>
<p>The best way to announce a rebranding is with a sale, promotion or contest, according to Claire Jones, co-founder of <a href="/articles/4-signs-you-should-use-digital-marketing-agency/">digital marketing agency</a> Witty Kitty. She added that it needs to be something engaging that gets your customers involved and highlights all the ways your rebrand will be best for them. Tie the rebranding into a fun event like a charity run or family fun day.</p>
<p>Social media is an important marketing tool to announce your rebranding. Create new social media ads that highlight your rebranding efforts. <a href="/articles/6-tips-to-improve-social-media-presence/">Run social media giveaways</a> as an incentive to spread the word about your relaunch. Schedule any rebranding events through social media to help advertise them to a larger audience.</p>
<p>“You also want to announce it in phases and not jump to dump it on people – slow and steady wins the race,” Jones added.</p>
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<h2 id="examples-of-successful-rebrands">Examples of successful rebrands</h2>
<p>You’re going to put a lot of heart – and work – into your <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/when-to-rebrand-and-how-to-begin-the-process/">rebranding strategy</a>. So, it’s important to ensure that you’re getting started on the right foot. Seeing real-life successful examples of a rebrand can help guide you as you start on your own process. Here are three successful rebranding examples, and a bit about what you can learn from each.</p>
<h3>Tupperware</h3>
<p>The container brand has been a U.S. staple for decades, but the “Tupperware party” style of sales was not keeping up with the 21st-century e-commerce demand. To mark the legacy brand’s new era, Tupperware did not stray far from its roots, nodding to ‘70s nostalgia but embracing a clean and modern look. Those deep roots give the rebrand meaning, instead of just randomly choosing fonts and colors.</p>
<p>The Tupperware rebrand underscores the importance of caring for the emotional value of your brand, particularly if your brand has been around for quite some time or has a large customer base. Customers develop an attachment to your brand over time; leaving all that behind during a rebrand can backfire. Consider acknowledging your company history while updating your look for the 21st century.</p>
<h3>Airbnb</h3>
<p>The travel company unveiled its rebrand in 2014. Acknowledging that it had outgrown its original brand identity, the company said the rebrand was meant to signal its embrace of Airbnb as a home experience, not just a website to rent houses. As customers utilized Airbnb to better immerse in the communities which they were visiting, the brand’s purpose – one driven by its customers – was redefined and reflected in changes to its design, mission statement and brand colors.</p>
<p>Airbnb’s rebrand reinforces the importance of <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/how-to-use-customer-feedback/">listening to your customers</a>. They may find a purpose for your product or service that’s not in your original scope. Tapping into that potential can bring about powerful results in your rebrand.</p>
<h3>CVS</h3>
<p>The national drugstore dropped the “Caremark” from its brand and replaced it with “Health” in 2014. This rebrand put a heart – and the word “health” – front and center, to formally mark its transition into a company dedicated to “<a href="https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/strategy/behind-cvs-health-rebranding-strategy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">helping people on their way to better health</a>.” This was accompanied by a decision, made around the same time, to stop selling nicotine products in its stores.</p>
<p>Here, the addition of “health” is twofold. First, it clearly distinguishes the “old” CVS from the “new” CVS. Second, it reinforces the pharmacy’s new purpose to help customers on their way to better overall health. As you explore a rebrand, consider how your name change reflects your new or evolving values. If those have changed, it may be time to tweak your name.</p>

Follow these five tips to make sure your rebranding is a success.

How to Rebrand Your Business

Customers

<p>Customer relationship management (CRM) software has gone from a handy tool to an essential platform that’s central to keeping all company departments in sync.  These systems are extremely powerful because of their ability to unite sales, marketing, customer service and many other business departments.</p>
<p>A flexible CRM can help small businesses shine. Here’s how a small company can <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/crm-software-small-business-impact/">accomplish its CRM software goals</a> and, consequently, enjoy higher sales volume and greater customer satisfaction.</p>
<h2 id="how-crms-help-a-company-stay-flexible">How CRMs help a company stay flexible</h2>
<p>Large corporations often require significant time and capital investment to extract and transfer vital information housed in disparate sales, marketing and customer service tools. Small and midsize businesses don’t usually have this problem; they can integrate new tech that helps them share information more easily, giving them a competitive edge in engaging with customers and establishing relationships that lead to sales.</p>
<p>Small businesses that use a CRM can quickly pivot to serve their customers. The right CRM software can easily and seamlessly integrate with a new productivity tool or marketing platform, which, in turn, improves <a href="https://www.business.com/articles/customer-tracking/">engagement with customers</a>. This flexibility becomes especially important when small businesses need to consider new communication channels and social media platforms.</p>

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<h2 id="crm-features-that-help-companies-stay-flexible">CRM features that help companies stay flexible</h2>
<p>There are a number of key benefits that a properly implemented CRM can offer small businesses. Here are some features to look for in a flexible CRM:</p>
<h3>Predictive analytics</h3>
<p>You don’t need a crystal ball when you have the right CRM software. The best CRMs for small businesses can support sales through predictive analytics technology, which can provide invaluable insight into identifying the right contacts, as well as when, where and how to maximize each interaction to drive transactions.</p>
<p>Without the right tools, efforts to forecast the most effective next step to take with a lead can be both unreliable and frustrating. A CRM can help to alleviate that problem by providing sophisticated and fact-based forecasts.</p>
<p>Predictive analytics can allow your small business to take both macro and micro views of every scenario, maximize each interaction and analyze how that engagement can lead to a sale.</p>
<h3>Marketing tools</h3>
<p>Marketing plays an indispensable role in ensuring the financial success of almost any company. The trouble is, small businesses don’t normally have sizable marketing budgets.</p>
<p>Your CRM can help stretch those dollars to support marketing objectives through supported integrations with marketing automation, email marketing technology and more. Better still, you can use a CRM to create targeted marketing campaigns, personalized content and other strategies that offer customers a more relevant shopping experience. CRMs should have the flexibility to add new platforms as they develop and emerge as well; your marketing strategy may shift depending on the prevalence of new and emerging platforms.</p>
<h3>Adaptability</h3>
<p>Whereas large enterprises can often afford to employ different tools to support their sales, marketing, customer service and organizational management efforts, small businesses need their CRMs to act as a jack-of-all-trades.</p>
<p>Small businesses must find a CRM solution that’s adaptable enough to capture the information they need both now and as they grow. Choosing a flexible CRM will help strengthen customer engagement at every point of the company’s development.</p>
<p>For example, a small business owner who’s looking to bolster sales and buyer satisfaction should seek a CRM solution that can be built around their specific sales and customer service needs, given their business model and organizational goals. The CRM should be customizable and capture data that’s relevant to your requirements.</p>
<h3>Task automation</h3>
<p>Rote tasks can take hours of your staff’s time that can be better spent on more complex projects. CRMs can help develop and execute the following tasks:</p>
<ul>
<li>Send automatic responses to common questions</li>
<li>Automatically send welcome, order confirmation or other routine emails</li>
<li>Pass information to new leads</li>
<li>Measure data and run reports</li>
<li>Build and automate workflows</li>
</ul>
<h3>Industry-specific functionality</h3>
<p>How prevalent is the specific CRM you’re using (or considering) in your industry? Does it provide the specific functionality you need to be successful in your space? The CRM you choose should be flexible enough to meet the needs of both your specific industry and your particular business.</p>
<p>Companies are increasingly recognizing the need for industry-specific business tools, and your CRM should accommodate the unique challenges and opportunities of your space. Your CRM doesn’t have to be exclusive to your industry, but it should be able to demonstrate how it will help your business achieve growth in your space.</p>
<h3>Lead automation</h3>
<p>CRM software can help field new leads and assign them to the right contact. This way, you can ensure that nobody misses a beat and no customer is accidentally overlooked. When you use these tools, your sales team should receive an email whenever someone inquires about a possible new customer or client. A flexible CRM can schedule follow-up actions as your company sees fit, as opposed to making your workflows fit into the software. If you force an inflexible CRM to work for you, it can mess with your own processes.</p>
<h3>Mobility</h3>
<p>As the number of people working remotely increased substantially as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these changing workplace dynamics have made mobility vital for small businesses. Flexible CRM software allows you to meaningfully engage with customers in an environment where sales are made – and customer support is provided – outside office hours. It ensures that you and your employees can work from anywhere without missing a beat.</p>
<p>Be careful when choosing a mobile CRM strategy; a full-featured mobile version of complex CRM software can often lead to frustration and minimal use among small businesses. Instead, opt for a smaller-scale CRM that’s optimized with the features your business and employees need while working on the go.</p>
<p>A streamlined mobile CRM with the right features allows sales reps and other employees to remotely access data quickly and efficiently, thus improving sales and customer satisfaction. The growing popularity of mobile CRMs can boost the performance of sales representatives, who can connect with clients at all hours as they work toward making a sale.</p>
<h3>Third-party integrations</h3>
<p>The world has become an information superhighway with data hitting us from a multitude of sources and directions. Adapting third-party integrations within your CRM can ensure your reps are up to speed as the latest customer data pours in.</p>
<p>All CRMs, no matter how sophisticated they might be, can benefit from incorporating outside applications. Whether you’re linking your CRM to Twitter or a customer support system, third-party apps can strengthen your sales, organizational and communication efforts.</p>
<p>Aside from helping you keep pace with the latest data, incorporating outside software can be a valuable way to manage schedules, enhance marketing, connect with customers and achieve other organizational objectives.</p>
<h3>Support for both acquisition and retention</h3>
<p>Acquiring new customers often requires different strategies than maintaining existing clients. By now, you may have a handle on your longtime customers’ buying histories, communication preferences and shopping habits. Conversely, there’s a lot to learn about the new and prospective customers you’re trying to woo.</p>
<p>Your CRM should be capable of supporting customer acquisition and retention efforts with equal aplomb. The software should provide functionality for tracking new relationships through the sales funnel, as well as following established connections as you look to sell upgrades and add-ons and generally maintain those relationships.</p>
<p>The CRM industry has become one of the largest software markets in the world, and the technology’s popularity shows no signs of slowing. As the market grows, the best small business CRMs continue to expand upon and improve the features that benefit the small business community.</p>
<p>The best small business CRMs can capture complex and relevant data sets, help small businesses take sophisticated collections of information, and make them actionable to drive business growth through successful interactions with both new and existing customers.</p>
<p>There are a lot of CRM options, and many of them position themselves as offering business tools and features in addition to basic contact management functionality. But the key is to determine which CRM can adapt to the needs of your organization.</p>

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<h2 id="best-flexible-crm-systems">Best flexible CRM systems</h2>
<p>If you’re looking for the <a href="https://www.business.com/categories/crm-software/">best flexible CRM systems</a> for your small business, check out our recommendations:</p>
<ul>
<li>Best for project management: <a href="https://www.business.com/reviews/monday-crm/">monday.com</a></li>
<li>Best for remote and mobile workers: <a href="https://www.business.com/reviews/zoho-crm/">Zoho CRM</a></li>
</ul>
<p class="Body"><i>H. John Oechsle contributed to the reporting and writing in this article. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article. </i></p>

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